Gown for cardiac patients and other specialty uses

ABSTRACT

A gown for medical patients having a closable fly front extending from the sternal notch to the pubis. Openings are formed in the front of the gown to receive leads for monitoring devices and for tubes for treatment or drainage. A pocket for small instruments is on the front of a selected side of the gown. A second pocket is formed on the opposite side of the front of the gown. The back of the gown is fully openable and may be closed by overlapping portions of the back of the gown. A plurality of tabs is formed on the inside of the front of the gown to secure a catheter drainage bag.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to provisional patent application No. 60/899,812, filed Feb. 6, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a gown for a medical patient and more particularly to a gown which is more comfortable to the patient and provides for improved access to the patient by healthcare providers.

2. Description of Prior Art

Most existing gowns for medical patients are merely a wrap around fabric which has short sleeves and which the patient wears with a full length opening in the front or the back. Healthcare providers open the gown to gain access to the patient for examination and/or treatment.

The patient is connected to instrumentation and drainage tubing by electrical leads and tubing which extend from the patient to an external support such as a table or an intravenous pole.

There is a need for a gown which provides greater accessibility to the patient with minimal disrobing or opening of the gown. The need exists for instrumentation and wound drainage to be connected to the patient while the patient is wearing a gown, independent of tables or intravenous poles.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, there is disclosed a gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion and a back portion, a right side, a left side and a pair of short sleeves. The top of the front of the gown has a fly-like opening extending downwardly providing access to the interior of the chest from the sternal notch to the pubis. Means are provided to close the fly-like opening. A slit is provided in a selected side of the front of the gown opposite the sleeve wherein leads may be received for monitoring the activity of the patient's heart. A first pocket is formed under the slit. A second pocket is formed in the opposite side of the front of the gown. An opening is formed above the pocket for accessibility of tubes. The back of the gown is open and has means to close the back by overlapping the portions of the back. A plurality of tabs is formed in the inside of the right side of the front wherein a Foley catheter drainage bag may be secured to a selected tab according to the height of the patient.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the enclosed drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the front of the gown showing special features.

FIG. 2 is a view of the front of the gown showing the gown partially opened to provide access to the chest of the patient.

FIG. 3 is a view of the front of the gown showing the sleeves opened for greater access to the chest of the patient.

FIG. 4 is a view of the front of the gown with a drainage tube extending from the slit on the left side into a reservoir in the second pocket below the slit. Also shown are electrical leads extending out of the first pocket on the right side of the gown to an instrument in the first pocket below the opening.

FIG. 5 is a view of the back of the gown showing the off center seam.

FIG. 6 is a view of the back of the gown with the sides open showing the tabs to which the catheter may be secured.

FIG. 7 is a view of the catheter drainage bag secured to the tabs inside the gown.

FIG. 8 is a view of an ambulatory patient wearing the gown independent of an intravenous pole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the gown 10 is formed from fabric material having a front portion 12, a back portion 14, a right side 16, a left side 18 and a pair of short sleeves 20. The top of the front portion of the gown has a fly-like opening which extends downwardly from the top of the gown at the neck opening and preferably to approximately three-fourths (¾) of the length of the gown. Means 34 to close the fly-like opening may be hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, tie strings or other means known to persons skilled in the art. Access is provided to the interior of the chest of the patient from the sternal notch to the pubis. The sleeves 20 are openable along the top and are closed with the above closing means. In order to provide greater access to the chest of the patient, as for example to administer CPR, the sleeves are opened simultaneously with opening of the fly-like front. Due to the design of the gown and the means provided, the gown may be opened without encumbrances in an emergency.

Referring to FIG. 4, in the upper portion 16 of the front of the gown 10, there is provided a slit 24 through the gown through which electrical leads 25 may be passed. One end of the leads is connected to the patient and the other end of the leads is connected to an instrument (such as a heart monitor) which is disposed in a first pocket 26 formed on the gown directly below the slit 24. Alternately, a loop may be formed below the slit so a clip on the instrument may be attached to the loop.

In the opposite upper portion 18 of the front of the gown, there is provided an opening 28 through the gown. A second pocket 29 is formed on the front of the gown directly below the opening. A reservoir 38 may be placed in the second pocket. One end of the drainage tube 31 is connected to the reservoir, the tube passing through the opening and an opposite end of the drainage tube is connected to the patient. Thus, for a patient having open heart surgery or other chest surgery where drainage is required, the drainage tube is directed into the reservoir in the second pocket. Since the opening and pocket are lower than the area of surgery, the drainage is due to gravity.

The back portion 14 of the gown is open from top to bottom and has means 34 to close the overlapped edges of the gown (FIGS. 5-6). The means may be hook and loop fasteners, buttons, and tie strings and other means known to persons skilled in the art. The edges of the gown may overlap for at least six inches. This provides complete access to the patient's back by healthcare personnel while being sensitive to modesty of the patient. The back seam 30 of the back is off center to eliminate any possible pressure areas.

The length of the gown is designed to provide modesty for the patient either sitting or standing. The sleeves 20 are short, extending no further than the patient's elbows and are full cut. The design of the sleeves allows for anticubital accessibility space as well as blood pressure monitoring and introduction of tubing and electrical leads.

On the inside of the right side of the gown there is a plurality of tabs 32 arranged vertically. Preferably, there are three tabs (FIGS. 6-7). Preferably, the tabs each are horizontal bands with opposite ends which are secured to the inside of the gown. The tabs may be formed of fabric and may be sewn to the gown. However, any type of tab known to persons skilled in the art may be used. A Foley catheter drainage 36 bag having a hook or other securing means is suspended from a selected tab. The selected tab depends on the height of the wearer of the gown and is selected to elevate the catheter above the floor. The catheter drainage bag receives fluids from the catheter in the patient.

The gown, with the pockets and the inside tabs provide means for the patient to be ambulatory without the need and encumbrance of an intravenous (IV) pole. Patients are encouraged to be ambulatory very shortly after surgery. However, it is very difficult for a weakened patient to walk, especially with equipment and tubing suspended from an intravenous (IV) pole. The present invention increases the independence and dignity of patients who require connections to monitoring instruments, drainage tubing and catheters.

The gown of the present invention is user friendly to health providers and considers the comfort and dignity of the patient. The gown may be of any selected color and may be of a selected size (small, medium, large). The length of the gown provides for the modesty of the patient either seated or standing. The gown may be used by surgical or non-surgical patients. The gown may be worn by ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients.

Obviously; many modifications may be made without departing from the basic spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described herein. 

1. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion and a back portion, a right side, a left side and a pair of short sleeves, the gown comprising: the top of the front of the gown having a fly-like opening extending downwardly providing access to the anterior of the chest from the sternal notch to the pubis; means to close the fly-like opening; a slit provided in a selected side of the front of the gown opposite the sleeve wherein leads may be received for monitoring the activity of the patient's heart; a first pocket formed under the slit; a second pocket formed in the opposite side of the front of the gown; an opening formed above the second pocket for accessibility of tubes; the back of the gown being open and having means to close the back by overlapping the portions of the back; a plurality of tabs being formed in the inside of the right side of the front wherein a Foley catheter drainage bag may be secured to a selected tab according to the height of the patient.
 2. The gown of claim 1, wherein the means to secure the closure of the front and back of the gown are a plurality of hook and loop fasteners.
 3. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion and a back portion, means being provided interiorly on the first portion to receive a Foley catheter drainage bag.
 4. The gown of claim 3, wherein the means are a plurality of vertically aligned tabs secured to the gown such that the drainage bag may be secured to a selected tab according to the height of the patient.
 5. The gown of claim 4, wherein the tabs are horizontal bands, each having opposite ends, the respective ends being secured to the gown.
 6. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion, the front portion having a right side and a left side, a slit provided in a selected side of the front portion wherein electrical leads may be received to monitor activity of the patient's heart, means being provided on the gown to carry monitoring instrumentation to which the electrical leads are connected.
 7. The gown of claim 6, wherein the means to carry monitoring instrumentation is a pocket formed below the slit.
 8. A gown adapted for medical patients having a front portion, the front portion having a right side and a left side, an opening being formed on a selected side of the gown, a pocket formed exteriorly on the gown below the opening, wherein drainage tubing may be received in the opening and connected to a drainage reservoir disposed within the pocket. 